Requiescat In Pace, Uncle Mike

We need a new scoop, rumor, etc. What do you have in your bag of tricks? How about two real rumors and one totally made up one? We'll be guessing which is which.

83 days until Opening Day takes me back to a memory I had not thought of for a while from 1983.
Nolan Ryan vs. Steve Carlton in the race to break Walter Johnson's all-time strikeout record (3,508).
Carlton was a few years older than Nolan, debuting in 1965 and becoming a regular rotation guy in 1967 at age 22.

Carlton had a huge 1982 at age 37, 23-11 with 16 complete games 6 shutouts, 295 innings pitched and 286 strikeouts.
He finished that year at 3,434 strikeouts, 74 shy of the record.

Nolan also had a good '82, 16-12, 3.16 ERA, 10 complete games and 245 strikeouts. He finished the year at 3,494, just 14 shy of the record.

The chase was on from Opening Day, because Carlton wanted to get there first and said so many times.
In the Phillies' four-man rotation, Carlton pitched 4 times between April 5 and April 20th, recording 9, 11, 12, and 10 strikeouts for a total of 42, getting him up to 3,476. He struck out 4 more on April 24th, a loss to the Astros, to reach 3,480.

Nolan was hurt to start the year, and didn't pitch until April 17th. He struck out 7 vs. the Expos and then 3 in a loss to the Phillies to get to 3,504.

On April 27th, he struck out Brad Mills of the Expos to break the record of 3,509. Carlton sent the Big Train into third place just a month later, and ended the year as the all-time leader in strikeouts, leading the league with 275 at age 38 while Nolan struck out 183 in 29 starts.

At the end of the 1983 season, Carlton led the career count 3,709 to 3,676.

Carlton finally saw Father Time start to catch up in 1984 at age 39, striking out 163 while Nolan had 197. At the end of 1984, Nolan had the lead by a single strikeout, 3,873-3,872.

The wheels fell off the wagon for Carlton as he entered his 40s. He went 1-8 in 1985 and a combined 9-14 in 1986, traded twice. After striking out 286 and 275 batters at ages 67 and 38, he would never have more than 120 in a season once he turned 40, finishing his career with 4,136 strikeouts.

Nolan, of course, was the complete opposite. He struck out 209 in 85, 194 in 86, then led the league (a league) 4 straight years from 1987-1990 with 270, 228, 301, 232.

And here's the greatest stat you're going to hear this week.
Carlton's most dominant stretch of strikeouts in 4 years was from 1980-1983, when he struck out 1,027.
Nolan struck out 1,031 from 1987-1990, when he was between 40-43 years old.

Jim Crane said he'll talk to Brantley about staying involved w/team in part-time role from his home in Florida:

"He was great in the locker room and could be a guy that could be helpful coaching or doing whatever he likes to do, particularly being down close to Spring Training."

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) January 5, 2024

31.8% of ballots reporting, Billy Wagner is on 80.3% of ballots.

http://www.bbhoftracker.com/

Uncle Mike 🫡 pic.twitter.com/z32IQli2Cu

— Houston Astros (@astros) January 6, 2024

Thank you for everything, Maldy! 🏆

Good luck in Chicago. pic.twitter.com/4AIoZRuqN0

— Houston Astros (@astros) January 5, 2024

Farmer1906 said:

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Thank you for everything, Maldy! 🏆

Good luck in Chicago. pic.twitter.com/4AIoZRuqN0

— Houston Astros (@astros) January 5, 2024

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Calling it now. He bats about .175 for the season but bats .500 with 2 HR against the Astros

tjack16 said:

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Farmer1906 said:

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Thank you for everything, Maldy! 🏆

Good luck in Chicago. pic.twitter.com/4AIoZRuqN0

— Houston Astros (@astros) January 5, 2024

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Calling it now. He bats about .175 for the season but bats .500 with 2 HR against the Astros

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I'd like to see him win a batting title just for this board's day by day reaction.

Astros top pitching prospect, Spencer Arrighetti, has added a sinker to his pitches.

This will go great with his sweeper.

Look for 2024 to be @szane_24 to be his breakout season. pic.twitter.com/Jp3EPNjEJO

— Michael Schwab (@michaelschwab13) January 6, 2024

The Porkchop Express said:

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tjack16 said:

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Farmer1906 said:

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Thank you for everything, Maldy! 🏆

Good luck in Chicago. pic.twitter.com/4AIoZRuqN0

— Houston Astros (@astros) January 5, 2024

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Calling it now. He bats about .175 for the season but bats .500 with 2 HR against the Astros

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I'd like to see him win a batting title just for this board's day by day reaction.

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"So Dusty was holding Maldonado back" - this thread if that happens probably

RO519 said:

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With a 4 year old that is getting into tee ball and baseball, Michael Brantley's swing is the one we will be studying and working to imitate.

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If this is satire, bravo. If it is not satire, seek help, it's teeball.

RO519 said:

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With a 4 year old that is getting into tee ball and baseball, Michael Brantley's swing is the one we will be studying and working to imitate.

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Never too early to start.

Sea Speed said:

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RO519 said:

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With a 4 year old that is getting into tee ball and baseball, Michael Brantley's swing is the one we will be studying and working to imitate.

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If this is satire, bravo. If it is not satire, seek help, it's teeball.

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Why not start honing swing mechanics in t ball? Don't let bad habits form and become ingrained, they are much harder to fix.

Because the kid is 4. Have you met many 4 year olds? Good lord I guess the baseball dads trope is a thing for a reason.

Sea Speed said:

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Because the kid is 4. Have you met many 4 year olds? Good lord I guess the baseball dads trope is a thing for a reason.

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Yep, let the kids have fun, don't burn them out before they are ten.

"Tball and you're just now starting to work on the swing? Way too late, my friend. No way to catch up now." -Baseball dads I've seen out at little league games

You guys are acting like it means doing 6 hours a day of swing practice to lay the foundation. A 4 year old can be given proper instruction about some things that will help. Don't just give them a bat and say go hit it.

The dude said he is going to study swings with a 4 year old. Watching film. With a 4 year old. GMAFB

I think you're taking this too seriously. If a kid hasn't swing before what's wrong with seeing how it's supposed to work?

With a kid that young mechanics can be important but I'd rather see the kid going up and taking daddy-hacks. Too many kids just try to make contact, even off the tee, and don't swing with intent. Teach them to swing with some violence and the mechanics can follow.

Judge went 3/4 and Soto hit a HR as the Yankees lost 5-4 to fall to fourth place in the AL East, 13 games back of Baltimore.